Bavario
Member
I'm trying to find the best manual transmission for my swap (BHW into a 1973 BMW Bavaria). Plans for the engine are balance shaft delete, replace cam (Colt likely), followers, head studs, and +1 tune (Kerma likely). Horsepower will be around 180-200 with around 300-325 torque. The transmission not only has to be able to handle the torque, but also fit in the tunnel and come close to matching the shifter location. The Bavaria left the factory with an automatic, so the tunnel is a little roomier than the manual 4 speed option.
The two main criteria for me after strength is bulk and shifter location. I'd like to buy an adapter plate that's readily available (TDI Conversions, eg). I plan on driving the car pretty regularly and getting close 40mpg. It'll still be only rwd. T56 is not an option strictly due to cost (it's also heavy and huge). Is the Aisin AX15 4WD trans as good as I've read? Would a Toyota (3.0/3.4), Nissan (3.0/3.3), or Ford 3.0 trans be good options?
The two main criteria for me after strength is bulk and shifter location. I'd like to buy an adapter plate that's readily available (TDI Conversions, eg). I plan on driving the car pretty regularly and getting close 40mpg. It'll still be only rwd. T56 is not an option strictly due to cost (it's also heavy and huge). Is the Aisin AX15 4WD trans as good as I've read? Would a Toyota (3.0/3.4), Nissan (3.0/3.3), or Ford 3.0 trans be good options?